Is spine consultation needed for all thoracolumbar fractures? Evaluation of a subspecialist-sparing protocol for screening and management of stable fractures.

Background: The shortage of neurosurgeons is a problem in many US trauma centers. Most thoracolumbar spine fractures are treated conservatively, and at our institution, we found that most patients did not require surgery. We hypothesize that most spine fractures can be treated safely and effectively by the trauma team, without neurosurgical consultation, using a protocol to guide diagnosis and treatment.

Management of the most severely injured spleen: a multicenter study of the Research Consortium of New England Centers for Trauma (ReCONECT).

Objective: To determine the rate and predictors of failure of nonoperative management (NOM) in grade IV and V blunt splenic injuries (BSI).

Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: Fourteen trauma centers in New England.

Factors associated with survival following blunt chest trauma in older patients: results from a large regional trauma cooperative.

Hypothesis: We hypothesized that patient factors, injury patterns, and therapeutic interventions influence outcomes among older patients incurring traumatic chest injuries.

Design: Patients older than 50 years with at least 1 rib fracture (RF) were retrospectively studied, including institutional data, patient data, clinical interventions, and complications. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed.

Blunt pancreatoduodenal injury: a multicenter study of the Research Consortium of New England Centers for Trauma (ReCONECT).

Objectives: To evaluate the safety of nonoperative management (NOM), to examine the diagnostic sensitivity of computed tomography (CT), and to identify missed diagnoses and related outcomes in patients with blunt pancreatoduodenal injury (BPDI).

Design: Retrospective multicenter study.

Setting: Eleven New England trauma centers (7 academic and 4 nonacademic).

Tuberculous fistulae in ano: a case report and literature review.

Tuberculosis can present anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract; however, anorectal tuberculosis has been reported rarely. We present a case report of tuberculous fistulae in ano and review the extrapulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis.